What is the D&D minis game?

[kobold]

Since I rarely if ever get to role-play anymore!
My son and I were passing thru a local comic shop and he spotted a bunch of individual minis for sale under the counter and asked if we could get some.
Now I've got a slew of metal minis dating back to the dawn of time, but I'm intrigued by this collectable mini idea. Where do I get the rules? Is it complicated? Does it play fast and is it easy to learn? Lastly and most importantly is it any good?
thanks,
Andy

 

[Remathilis]

D&D Minis (DDM) is plastic crack!

Ok its basically simplified D&D combat. You build a warband (various models and stat cards) from one of the four factions (LG, LE, CG, CN). Typical warbands are 100 points (but 200 + 500 are possible too). You then set out a battlemat, pick terrain, and place all your minis. Combat is all done with d20s (damage is multiples of 5, hp is roughly the same). Typically, the match winner is the one with models still on the board (either by killing or routing the other side).

The game still requires some good tactical thinking, and most D&Disms are there (rogues Sneak, Dwarves are sturdy, etc). The models are divided into three levels, common, uncommon, rare. Rares are unique and powerful critters, commons are typical grunts. Each faction has specific traits (CE is damaging, LE is high AC, etc).

Its fun, and a great way to intro potential RPers to the hobby as well.

 

[Shadowslayer]

Where do I get the rules? Is it complicated? Does it play fast and is it easy to learn? Lastly and most importantly is it any good?
thanks,
Andy

You get the rules and 4 poster map/gameboards with the Starter Set. You also get a bunch of minis. The rules are pretty simple to learn, but just like anything else, there's gonna be some page flipping in the first few games, mostly to look up some of the powers that particular minis have.

As far as "is it fun or not" the answer is yes, its a blast actually. Once you get the hang of it, you can play a game in less than an hour.

The only downside is that it can also become a bit of a money pit if you get sucked into wanting to complete every set. Fortunately I've managed to resist that impulse, so the cost is reasonable.

 

[MerricB]

You get the rules and 4 poster map/gameboards with the Starter Set. You also get a bunch of minis. The rules are pretty simple to learn, but just like anything else, there's gonna be some page flipping in the first few games, mostly to look up some of the powers that particular minis have.

The rules can also be downloaded from here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mi/errata

Cheers!

 

[Glyfair]

You get the rules and 4 poster map/gameboards with the Starter Set.

Assuming, of course, that you get the most recent starter. If you happen to stumble over one of the earlier starters (Harbinger & Aberrations), then you get a blank map and tiles to place on them. Of course, if you find a Harbinger starter for anything close to the original price, buy it! You can probably sell it on eBay and buy quite a bit of more recent sets
[Quote[The rules are pretty simple to learn, but just like anything else, there's gonna be some page flipping in the first few games, mostly to look up some of the powers that particular minis have. [/Quote]

It is simplified D&D combat. There is fixed damage, for example. Attacks of opportunity are simplified in the game. So, learning is easier because there are less options.

I will add the caveat that there are things that take a lot of adjustments. The thing I've noticed that drives some people crazy is that you can only target the closest opponent or ally with ranged attacks or spells. You also have commander effects to deal with, but that isn't too hard.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Typical warbands are 100 points (but 200 + 500 are possible too).

This changed a while back. Currently, the typical warband size is 200 points (the last several sets have been designed to optimize 200-point bands), unless you're doing epic play (i.e. including epic and Huge pieces), in which case the typical size is 500.

You then set out a battlemat, pick terrain, and place all your minis.

This is no longer done either--the game switched to pre-configured battle maps last year. We no longer use terrain tiles.

Combat is all done with d20s (damage is multiples of 5, hp is roughly the same). Typically, the match winner is the one with models still on the board (either by killing or routing the other side).

The match winner is the one to get to 200 (or 500) points first. Each enemy figure is worth a certain number of points, and there are other ways to score points in the game. If an hour passes, then the player with the most points wins. (There are rules for ties.) There are several excellent sites that discuss the game; two of the most popular are www.maxminis.com and www.hordeminis.com

Dave

 

[kobold]

Thanks for all the input. I like the idea that we can finish in an hour, since neither my son or I get to roleplay much these days we've been moving toward wargaming for a few years. The problem is even the fastest of the historical rule sets we use take a few hours, during heavy work loads or school for him we still don't play much.
Plus this will allow us our D&D fix since it's all the old familiar faces.
Whats the start up cost, roughly? To get to a few 200 pt warbands?

 

[Harlekin]

Thanks for all the input. I like the idea that we can finish in an hour, since neither my son or I get to roleplay much these days we've been moving toward wargaming for a few years. The problem is even the fastest of the historical rule sets we use take a few hours, during heavy work loads or school for him we still don't play much.
Plus this will allow us our D&D fix since it's all the old familiar faces.
Whats the start up cost, roughly? To get to a few 200 pt warbands?

As with all othe collectible games, that depends a lot. a big part of the game can be to build a warband and find interesting combinations. If you just want to play between yourselves, you could just get 1 starter and two boosters each (~$50 at normal retail) and maybe ignore the fraction rules for the first couple of games while you learn the game. The warbands you get from this can play each other, but are not nearly as powerful as warbands that people play in tornaments. The cheapest way to get to a tournament warband is pick one of an internet site (maximinis or hordelings) and buy all figures on ebay. Depending on the army, that can then run you between $50 and $250. But of course, you miss out on the warband-building this way.

 

[Allandaros]

Bit of a silly question, this, but I haven't been into a FLGS for a long time (sadness...)

What scale are these minis?

 

[Shadowslayer]

Assuming, of course, that you get the most recent starter. If you happen to stumble over one of the earlier starters (Harbinger & Aberrations), then you get a blank map and tiles to place on them. Of course, if you find a Harbinger starter for anything close to the original price, buy it! You can probably sell it on eBay and buy quite a bit of more recent sets

Glyfair's right. The box for the newest starter set is mostly green in the same design as the WarDrums boxes were. I'm pretty sure it'll say on the box if you get 4 color poster maps. Get this one. (I personally thought the blank map and arranging tiles was dumb...though 1 or 2 of the old blank maps, laminated, make a great battle map for the rpg)

I'd also second Harlekin's advice. A starter and a couple of boosters each should be enough to get you hook...I mean...to see if you like it or not. As a rule, you don't need to worry about tracking down high powered minis unless you're playing tournaments.

I don't know how old your son is, but I initially got this game so as to have something to play with my 12 yr old nephew as a quicker alternative to regular D&D. It proved to be wildly successful in that regard. When we started, we didn't worry too much about factions or even command rules and it was fun even then. Now, once or twice a month, we get together so he can trounce me soundly a couple of times in an evening.

Forgot to mention that Wizards also has a product called Fantastic Locations. They are sets of 4 poster battlemaps with a small RPG adventure hooking them all together. In most of them, three of the maps are official and usable for the minis game.